April 2008 Fastening - A New Approach to Blind Riveting
A patent-pending blind rivet solution is designed to help appliance manufacturers save on necessary blind rivet purchases and reduce unnecessary product waste.
July 2007 Circuit Protection - Coordinated Circuit Protection for Critical Appliance Components
Resettable circuit protection devices can be used to help provide overtemperature, overcurrent, and overvoltage protection for the electric motors and fans, controllers, touchpads, displays, and interface circuitry required by sophisticated appliances.
June 2007 Boiler Technology - The Cornerstones of Boiler Technology
The following paper demonstrates how boiler system manufacturers are reevaluating their product offerings and redesigning them to save energy and the environment, while positively influencing reliability and safe operation.
December 2006 Porcelain Enamel - Advanced Coatings for the Home of Tomorrow
As mature products, porcelain enamel and major appliances require technological advances for added sales and profitability. Three new porcelain enamel products and their most suitable uses are reviewed.
November 2006 Motor Control - Using Sensorless Control to Catch a Spinning Fan
Over the years, engineers have turned to brushless DC drives with Hall sensor feedback due to their simple control circuitry. However, advancements in sensorless control offer designers alternative solutions.
October 2006 Small Appliances - No Tolerance for Arc Faults
Closely evaluating end-of-life and pulse-current failure scenarios can make small appliances more robust and protect against potential fires.
August 2006 Advisory Board - Our Engineering Experts
Behind any good technical magazine is a team of experts. For APPLIANCE magazine, that means leveraging the expertise of industry engineers that literally know the ins and outs of appliances.
July 2006 IATC Best Paper 2006 - Spontaneous Combustion Tendency of Household Chemicals and Clothes Dryers-Part 2
The following is the second installment of the edited version of the paper delivered at the 57th Annual International Appliance Technical Conference (IATC), held March 27-29 in Rosemont, Illinois, U.S. The paper’s authors were awarded the Dana Chase, Sr. Memorial Award for the best paper presented at the conference.
December 2005 Plastics - An Overview of a New Ultra High Temperature Plastic (UHT)
A new silicone compound plastic is able to resist extreme thermal conditions greater than 900 degrees fahrenheit (482 degrees celcius), while maintaining the typical properties of plastics, such as formability, low density, a high degree of electrical insulation, and low thermal expansion.
October 2005 Air Conditioners - Partial Switching Power Factor Correction Module
This paper introduces an integrated power module for a partial switching power factor correction circuit (PSP) used in air-conditioning systems. The proposed module incorporates two insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) and rectifier diodes, along with a gate-driving low-voltage integrated circuit (LVIC) and a thermistor for temperature monitoring, all of which are integrated into a direct-bonded-copper (DBC) based transfer-molded package. It is intended for use in inverter systems of low-power air-conditioners and is expected to provide compactness, reliability, and electrical and thermal performance.
August 2005 Acoustics - Diagnosing Noise Sources in Vacuum Cleaners
A method for accurately and effectively diagnosing noise sources and their transmission paths by visualizing acoustic radiation from an arbitrarily shaped object is presented.
June 2005 Engineering Cooking Appliances - Digital Sensors Enhance Brand Image
Three years ago, Whirlpool Corporation began working on new electric freestanding range models with glass touch control panels. Glass is easy to clean, and panels can be produced to match the “visual brand language” established by the company. Switches mounted under glass panels typically use capacitive technology, which allows for customized sensing through the glass surface.
June 2005 IATC 2005 Best Paper - Major Appliance Teardowns: A Review of Electrical Interconnection Results
IATC 2005 Best Paper: The following is an edited version of the winning paper presented at the International Appliance Technical Conference (IATC), held March 28-30, 2005. The author was awarded the Dana Chase, Sr. Memorial Award for the best paper presented at the conference.
May 2005 Electrical Manufacturing - The Basics of Brushless Motor Drive Design
Due to the increasing demand for compact and reliable motors and the evolution of low-cost power semiconductor switches and permanent magnet (PM) materials, brushless motors are widely used in every application from home appliances to the aerospace industry.
May 2005 International Appliance Technical Conference 2005 - Engineering for the World
The “I” in IATC wasn’t lost on those attending the 2005 International Appliance Technical Conference. From Chinese outsourcing to Canadian legislation, this year’s engineering conference looked at technology from a global perspective.
May 2005 Glass Technology - Nano-Layer System for Interior Oven Doors
For years, the research and development department of the Mainz, Germany-based Schott Group has been working to refine and advance the functional surfaces of household appliances.
March 2005 Engineering: Heating and Air-Conditioning - Residential Space Conditioning and Water Heating with Transcritical CO2 Refrigeration Cycle
The use of CO2 refrigerant for simultaneous space conditioning
and water heating has been the focus of renewed research and testing since
Lorentzen re-introduced the idea of the transcritical cycle [3]. Neska et
al have investigated several CO2 systems under standard test conditions,
including solo heat pump water heaters and dual-purpose systems that simultaneously
provide space conditioning and domestic water heating [5]. Several authors
have also published results of prototype CO2 systems operating
over wide ranges of test conditions.
January 2005 Appliance Line - A New Generation of Design
I’ve heard many in the industry complain in recent years that the next-generation of appliance designers are “lazy,” “unmotivated,” and “egocentric.” I beg to differ.
December 2004 Engineering - Relays - Impact of Lead-Free Soldering on the Reliability of Relays
In recent years, environmental issues have become more and more important. Many materials and substances are forbidden for use in products and in manufacturing because they are toxic, ozone-killing, or problematical in some other respect.
November 2004 Engineer Sound Quality - Sound Quality Assessment and Labeling
The sound that a product makes can tell the user a lot about its quality and functionality. This information may be combined with other non-aural information, such as the product’s performance, design, color, or feel, to give some overall impression. Products that make annoying sounds are unlikely to be well-received, yet proper product sound assessment does not appear to be widely considered throughout the UK.
November 2004 Engineering Porcelain Enamel - A Novel Non-Stick Porcelain Enamel
To fulfill the industry’s long-held desire for a truly easy-to-clean surface, a new ceramic-based, non-stick coating for household and commercial cooking appliances has been developed that has excellent scratch, abrasion, and heat resistance, as well as superb cleanability.
October 2004 Designing Electric Housewares - Virtual Housewares?
Designing portable appliances for the kitchen is not easy, and in recent years, it’s become even more challenging. An increasing emphasis on understanding one’s consumer has seen design teams conduct more intensive user research than ever before.
September 2004 Engineering Testing - Automotive Corrosion Testing of Appliances
To determine the best materials for major home appliances, some manufacturers routinely use a corrosion test developed in the U.S. automotive industry. They test individual components, partial assemblies, randomly selected production pieces, finished goods, and competitors’ models.
August 2004 Medical Appliances - New Considerations for Medical Appliance Designers
Medical devices are no longer just medical devices—they are consumer products. In the past, medical product manufacturers stressed the medical efficacy of their devices over all other considerations. However, today they are borrowing a page from the consumer product designers’ playbook.
July 2004 Appliance Line - Designing Women?
When I first decided to write about this topic, I thought I had a simple—not to mention logical—observation: the appliance industry needs more female engineers. Well, my research took me on wild ride that taught me both everything and nothing. In other words, no issue is ever simple.
June 2004 60th Anniversary - 60 Years Of Appliance Technology
The appliance industry has innovated ceaselessly since the first issue of this magazine was published by Dana Chase Publications in January 1944. Here, on the occasion of our 60th anniversary year, we would like to present an abridged look at just a few of the technology developments that brought the industry to where it is now.
June 2004 2004 IATC Best Paper Winner - Detection of Abnormal Operating Conditions in Electric Clothes Dryers
Advances in sensor technology have created opportunities to address many hazards that products can present to consumers, and this paper reports the results of experiments performed on an electric clothes dryer. The test clothes dryer was instrumented with a number of sensors and operated under normal and abnormal operation conditions. The recorded sensor data were analyzed to determine if undesirable conditions that could lead to impending hazardous conditions could be detected before developing into a consumer hazard.
June 2004 Ingeniería Control de Motores - Control de Motores de Bajo Costo y de Múltiples Funciones para Artefactos Eléctricos
El mercado de los artefactos eléctricos requiere soluciones de bajo costo para el control de motores así como también el mantenimiento de las funciones avanzadas para el funcionamiento eficiente del motor. Es posible cumplir con estos dos requisitos principales mediante un sistema de accionamiento de motor basado en microcontroladores que ayude a los fabricantes de equipos originales a reducir los costos del sistema y a brindar funciones avanzadas para las aplicaciones de control del motor.
June 2004 Engineering - Rapid Prototyping - Curing Developmental Headaches
Egyptian appliance maker Olympic Group saved costs and dramatically decreased its development timeframe by implementing rapid prototyping and 3D prints into the initial design process.
May 2004 International Appliance Technical Conference - 2004 IATC - A New Perspective
As always, this year’s International Appliance Technical Conference (IATC) revealed the appliance industry’s latest technological advancements for design and manufacturing. But as most attendees would attest, the real “breakthrough” at this year’s IATC had nothing to do with technology at all.
May 2004 Electrical Manufacturing - Conductive Plastics
Plastics have been widely used in electrical manufacturing for several decades, due to their many advantageous properties, including moldability, ruggedness, and low cost.
May 2004 Engineering Microelectronics - New Insights in Underfill Flow and Flip Chip Reliability
During the last several years, Flip Chip Technology has been widely accepted as a means for maximum miniaturization of microelectronic assemblies. Flip Chips have been used in advanced products such as cellular phones, global positioning systems (GPS) devices, and in medical devices such as pacemakers.
February 2004 APPLIANCE Engineer® - Equipment Impacts of Lead-Free Wave Soldering
The increasing popularity and use of lead-free solders has uncovered weakness areas in the wave solder equipment in operation today. The following evaluates the materials used to construct the solder unit of this type of equipment.
January 2004 Engineering Ice-Making Machines - A Clean Machine
Antimicrobial AlphaSan® from Milliken Chemical helps Manitowoc Ice in Manitowoc, WI, U.S. deliver an unprecendented sanitation level for the company's ice-making machines.
January 2004 Engineering Circuit Breakers - Protective Devices for Appliances: Which Standard to Use?
Choosing circuit breakers to be used within appliances is not as simple as it appears. There are two UL standards for these devices - UL 489 and UL 1077. The following will explain the differences between the two standards and provide some guidance on how to apply them.
November 2003 Engineering: Comfort Conditioning (a web exclusive) - R&D at ZAC
Zamil Air Conditioners' ambitious growth plan hinges on expanding its product lines. With a slew of new tools, ZAC engineers have a number of product and technology development efforts underway.
October 2003 Engineering: Reliability Testing - Making the Most of Life Test Data
Whether it's complex assemblies or individual components, the main question an appliance industry designer has to face is: "Will this product perform reliably?" However, how can it be determined if a product is reliable or meets or exceeds the life of the competition?
October 2003 Engineering Medical Imaging Devices - An All-Around Design
For medical device maker SonoSite Inc., the challenge in designing its new iLook 15 and iLook 25 hand-held ultrasound devices was creating a device that was both functional for the healthcare professional and comforting to the patient.
October 2003 Engineering Heated Glass - Next-Generation Heated Glass Products
Heated Glass has been used in commercial refrigeration doors for many years. Recent advances in glass coatings, electronic control technology, and interconnect technology can significantly improve the energy efficiency and safety of these products.
September 2003 Engineering Motors - New Stator Core Laminations for Brushless Motors
Until
a few years ago, the basic technology of the fractional electrical
motor had not changed much compared to the technology used
at the beginning of the last century. Recently, however, there
have been several developments in this area.
September 2003 Engineering Power Tools - Power Routing
When
engineers at DeWalt in Towson, MD, U.S. began the design process
for its line of routers, the goal was to go beyond just improving
an existing product.
July 2003 APPLIANCE Engineer - Next-Generation Heated Glass Products
Heated Glass has been used in commercial refrigeration doors for many years. Recent advances in glass coatings, electronic control technology, and interconnect technology can significantly improve the energy efficiency and safety of these products.
June 2003 Computer Simulation - Computer Simulation Helps Meet Oven Specs While Reducing Cost
The use of computer simulation helped to demonstrate how a new oven design could meet the UnderwriterÕs Laboratory (UL) outside surface temperature requirements with an insulation material substantially less costly than the main alternative.
February 2003 Engineering: Laundry Appliances - Co-Design Key in Plastic Tub Production
Merloni Elettrodomestici and Meccanica Generale used the co-design approach to create a plastic washing machine tub that allows for faster production, streamlined assembly, and a lighter-weight washing machine.
February 2003 Engineering: Decoratives - Golden OpportunityPictured is a Whirlpool dishwasher interface with decoratives provided by Serigraph.
The decision to buy a major appliance often depends largely on appearance. Serigraph, a West Bend, WI, U.S.-based decoratives and labels manufacturer, knows this, as the company has been working with appliance customers for 30 years. The company's expertise is in the development of graphics that provide a high level of shelf-appeal while meeting the rigorous performance specifications of appliances.
January 2003 Engineering Air-Conditioning - Protecting the Core of the HVAC Industry
In order to eliminate some of the waste involved in production, Goettl Air Conditioning, Inc. enlisted the help of supply firm Pacific Parts Sales Company, Inc. when it came time to implement an improved condenser coil guard for its HVAC products.
January 2003 Engineering Photocouplers - Photocouplers: Performing Big in Small Spaces
The current development trend in photocouplers is targeting smaller packages, lower cost, higher reliability, higher operating speed, and lower power consumption, which corresponds with the requirements for electronic devices in the future.
January 2003 European Edition - APPLIANCE Engineer - Thermal Modeling of Oven Cooking and the "Brick" Test
This paper examines the performance of a domestic oven by developing a simple model to macroscopically describe the relative heat and mass transfer involved, followed by a closer look at the calculation of the thermal mass depending on food ingredients and mass loss due to evaporation.
November 2002 Engineering: HFC-245fa - Tailor Made HFC-245fa Foam for Appliance Applications
Eight years ago, the use of CFC-11 in rigid foam applications was terminated in the U.S. due to environmental concerns arising from its ozone depletion potential. Since that time, rigid foam manufacturers have used the second-generation blowing agents with more and more confidence. In general, the predominant blowing agent for the U.S. market over this period has been HCFC-141b.
November 2002 Engineering: Electronics - Relative Humidity Sensor Module
The Humicor S6000 relative humidity (RH) sensor/converter from Gefran Coreci (Lyon, France) uses a microprocessor to ensure accurate, linearized, and temperature-compensated humidity measurement in HVAC applications.
November 2002 Engineering: Motor Technology - Mixed Flow D.C. Cooling Fan
Said to be ideal for telecommunications applications and for cooling computer cabinets and racks, Comair Rotron says its new 7.9-in Mixed Flow d.c. fan is able to generate a higher pressure than any other fan in its product line.
October 2002 Engineering: Carbon Fiber - Carbon Fiber Electrical Connectors
Xerox Corporation developed a way to make carbon fiber into connectors that can conduct electricity just like a traditional metal connector, but are said to be more reliable, less costly to produce, and able to withstand harsh environments.
